5 Best Smart Gadgets under $50 for your older vehicle

New cars (especially pricey ones) come with multiple sensors and features that used to be fiction only a decade ago. And while they are pretty awesome, getting a new car is possibly the most costly investment you can make.

It’s simply not worth it for the features alone—especially when you can use some of the best car gadgets for less than $50 to spruce up your old car!

Adding a few new sensors and tools isn’t suddenly going to make your vehicle as good as a brand-new car that costs thousands of dollars.

But, if all you want is just a few new features that can make your life easier, less stress-free, and a dash of convenience, check out this list of car gadgets.

Here are our five best car smart gadgets and essentials for less than $50!

Related reading

• Not getting a good night’s sleep? Try these sleep gadgets and tech 
• 6 Best Gadgets and Fitness Gear to complement your Strength Training
• Top 5 Google Fit gadgets to get this year

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases using links in this post.

1: LEEPEE Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring System: Best Sensor

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems, otherwise known as TPMS, are most commonly found in almost all new cars.

But you’d be surprised to see how cheap a TPMS can be. In this case, all you need is a phone with at least Bluetooth 4.0, Leepee’s gadget, and then you are all set to go!

Installing TPMS is as easy as:

1. Downloading and installing the app on your phone
2. ‘Screwing’ in the sensors to the corresponding tires
3. Then pair it with your device by using Bluetooth

Simple as that. And there are plenty of reasons to consider installing a TPMS. Having your tires inflated at the optimum pressure level is much more than just showing off your fancy gadgets to friends.

Underinflated tires can negatively affect fuel efficiency, braking distances, and wear levels. At the same time, they can also increase the overall heat levels of the rubber—which can ironically lead to blown tires—even if they are underinflated instead of over-inflated.

On the other hand, overinflated tires can severely decrease the tire’s lifespan or even blow it. And the thing is that tire pressure can significantly differ depending on the time of inactivity, road temperature, and more. That’s why a TPMS can be a good investment for your old car

2: Echo Auto: Best Car Gadget with Alexa for Handsfree Operation

If you’re unfamiliar with it, Alexa is Amazon’s assistant, which you can install everywhere. You can use it for asking questions, playing a song, scheduling tasks, making calls, and more.

And while that’s not much of a big deal on a smartphone or computer, it can undoubtedly be a huge help when you’re on the road – which is where Echo Auto comes in!

Echo Auto is a small gadget you can use to connect Alexa from your phone to the car by using Bluetooth and an AUX port for the vehicle. That said, the car needs to have a 3.5mm connection, or this will not work.

With eight microphones and far-field technology, Echo Auto can hear you over music, A/C, and road noise.

There is no doubt that trying to focus on a phone while driving is dangerous. So, if you are looking for a way to be hands-free on the road with Amazon Alexa, Echo Auto is a solid option for your older or even newer vehicle.

3: Nonda ZUS: Best Smart Car Charger

Phones are now a part of our daily lives. It’s no surprise that so many new cars come pre-equipped with chargers. But what about those of us who are still stuck with older models?

If your car doesn’t have a phone charger and you’re looking for an easy way out, Nonda’s ZUS charger is one of the best car gadgets you can consider.

And that’s only a part of what it can do. You can also use it to track your car’s location and trip mileage.

While it’s not charging your phone, it only consumes about 0.2 amps – which means that you won’t have to worry about it draining your car’s battery.

The unit features two reversible USB ports. Using the companion app, you can share your parked location with your friends and family.

4: ZUS Universal HD Audio Adapter

If you are looking for hands-free control of your mobile while driving that offers noise suppression and comes in an attractive package, check out the ZUS Universal HD audio adapter.

You can use this audio adapter to pick up calls, switch music tracks, play FM radio, and anything else.

The only requirements are that your phone should have Bluetooth and that your car offers a 3.5mm port with either a USB port or a cigarette lighter port, which is typical of most older vehicles.

One of the main reasons this is so useful is that you don’t need to get your eyes off the road to use it. Once you get familiar with the button placement, this gadget can be blindly used.

5: Roav Viva Pro: Multiple Sensors for your Car in one package

In a way, the Roav Viva Pro combines multiple gadgets in one package. You can use it as a USB charger, an audio adapter, a voice assistant, an FM radio, or a noise-canceling microphone. Did we say it comes with Amazon Alexa as well!

One more good thing about it is that since it can be connected to a cigarette lighter port, pretty much any car out there should be able to support it.

Furthermore, the dual-USB charging ports support fast charging, another big plus.

The only real downside here is its price. You can hardly find it for less than $50, making it the most pricy pick on this list. But that’s to be expected.

Best Car Gadgets: Wrapping Up

These are our five best gadget picks at an affordable price point that will go a long way to spruce up your old vehicle with today’s conveniences. Here’s a summary of the picks, just in case you missed them:

1. Leepee Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring System: Great TPMS pick on the cheap
2. Echo Auto: An easy and affordable way to bring Alexa to your ‘traditional’ car
3. Nonda ZUS: A portable USB charger and car tracker in one package
4. ZUS Universal HD Audio Adapter: Useful for anything that has to do with audio. Playing music, answering calls, listening to the radio, etc.
5. Roav Viva Pro: A multi-tool gadget that offers an audio adapter, Alexa, and two USB ports in one package

We hope you can take advantage of these smart car accessories and make the most of our driving experience!

We sometimes use affiliate links in our content from Amazon and others. It doesn’t cost you anything but helps us pay our expenses. Thank you for the support! Last update on 2024-09-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API